Diamonds are a type of metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rock is created when sedimentary or igneous rock changes as a result of high pressure and heat acting on the rocks. Metamorphic rocks have the characteristic of being hard and containing crystals. Diamonds are the hardest material on Earth.
Explanation: The structure of the diamond itself is the real reason why it is not considered a rock. By definition, a rock is a substance made up of two or more minerals. Although they are composed of unique minerals, rocks are what we often see in nature.
First things first, diamonds fall under the category of gemstones, and this is because all gemstones are crystals formed from certain compounds or elements.
A diamond is a precious stone (mineral) that is considered a clear and generally colorless crystalline form of pure carbon, with the same carbon composition as graphite, but with a different structure. It is the hardest of naturally occurring substances.
Formation in the Mantle
Kimberlite, an igneous rock that has become synonymous with diamonds, forms deep in the Earth's mantle and is forced to the surface by volcanic eruptions. During this sudden and violent process, the rock undergoes the extreme conditions needed to produce the coveted diamonds.
A diamond is both a rock and a mineral. A mineral is a solid element or compound made of inorganic material. A rock is a solid mineral that makes up the surface of the Earth and can also be found in layers underneath the surface. A diamond is a hard substance found in the top layers of Earth.
Diamonds are a type of igneous rock. Diamonds are found in kimberlites which are igneous rocks. Kimberlites contain minerals and diamonds. Kimberlites serve as the primary source for diamonds.
diamond, a mineral composed of pure carbon. It is the hardest naturally occurring substance known; it is also the most popular gemstone. Because of their extreme hardness, diamonds have a number of important industrial applications.
Rubies are scientifically known as corundum, a rock-forming mineral and crystalline form of aluminium oxide which is two aluminium atoms and three oxygen atoms (Al2O3) in a close packed hexagonal structure. Corundum typically contains traces of iron, titanium, vanadium and/or chromium.
Emeralds are gem-quality specimens of the beryl mineral family with a rich, distinctly green color. They are found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks in a small number of locations worldwide. For over 5000 years, emeralds have been one of the most desirable and valuable colored stones.
The strongest rock in the world is diabase, followed closely by other fine-grained igneous rocks and quartzite. Diabase is strongest in compression, tension, and shear stress. If mineral hardness is the determining factor of strength then diamond is technically the strongest rock in the world.
Diamond is the hardest known mineral. It is a high-symmetry allotrope of carbon (C). It has a Mohs “scratch” hardness of 10, which makes it the hardest mineral.
Diamond is the only gem made of a single element: It is typically about 99.95 percent carbon. The other 0.05 percent can include one or more trace elements, which are atoms that aren't part of the diamond's essential chemistry.
The hardest natural substance is the diamond. Kimberlite is a form of igneous rock that contains diamonds. The diamond itself is just a crystallised chain of carbon atoms. The tightly packed structure of the carbon chains gives the stone its remarkable toughness.
A mineral is a naturally occurring substance with distinctive chemical and physical properties, composition and atomic structure. Rocks are generally made up of two of more minerals, mixed up through geological processes.
Diamonds are brought to the surface from the mantle in a rare type of magma called kimberlite and erupted at a rare type of volcanic vent called a diatreme or pipe.
Pink is one of the rarest sapphire colours, caused by chromium trace elements inside the corundum crystal. The deeper the pink, the more chromium is present. Red corundum, however, is called ruby, another gem variety of the same mineral.
Emeralds are formed when chromium, vanadium, and iron are present in the mineral beryl. The varying presence of these three elements gives emerald its range of color. Chromium and vanadium make an intense green color.
It's said that rubies have a fire trapped inside that glows when the stone exposed to sunlight. This “fluorescence” is caused by chromium, which also gives the ruby its red color.
When it comes to rare and expensive gemstones, most of us immediately think of diamonds, but, in fact, emeralds are more than 20 times rarer than diamonds and, therefore, often command a higher price.
Painite : Not just the rarest gemstone, but also the rarest mineral on earth, Painite holds the Guinness World Record for it. After its discovery in the year 1951, there existed only 2 specimens of Painite for the next many decades. By the year 2004, there were less than 2 dozens known gemstones.
MYTH: Diamonds are Rare
All gem-quality materials are rare. They compose just a tiny fraction of the Earth. However, diamonds actually number among the most common gems.
Quartz is a major component of many types of rock. Quartz is abundant in certain igneous rocks. It forms the clear to grey or even white lumpy blobs in granite and comprise most of silicate-rich or felsic igneous rocks. It is absent or rare in more primitive basic or silica-poor igneous rocks such as basalt.
Diamonds are made from carbon, heat and pressure
The only place carbon is transformed into diamonds is in the earth's mantle which lies 160 kilometers beneath our feet. The mantle is composed of solid rock and is rich in magnesium, iron and carbon.
A diamond is 58 times harder than the next hardest mineral on earth, which is corundum. This is the mineral from which other stones, such as rubies and sapphires, are formed.